OBITUARY

Waikato Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5269, 31 March 1913, Page 2

OBITUARY

There passed away in Hamilton, on Sunday, at 3.30 a.m., another of New Zealand’s oldest settlers in (ho person of Mrs Helen Clara Snow, widow of the late Charles Hastings Snow, of Wellington. Mrs Snow came with her husband in 1859 to Auckland, where he had a Government appointment. Mrs Snow was the second daughter of the Rev. Octavius Piers, Vicar of Preston, Dorset. England, a grand daughter of Sir Pigott Piers, Baronet, of Tnsternagh Abbey, West Meath, Ireland, and grand niece of the Right Hon. Shute Barrington, Bishop of Durham, from whom she derived a small income. When the scat of Government was moved to Wellington Mrs Snow went to reside there. Thirty years ago Mrs Snow was one of the best known personalities of Wellington. Always to the fore in all evangelistic and philanthropic movements, her home was a haven for distressed and needy souls. A staunch member of the Church oi England dating her whole life, and of strong evangelistic views she was an ardent Protestant, and deeply regretted the modern ritualistic tendencies of her loved church. Mrs Snow was also a great temperance worker, and was present at the first W.C.T.U. meetings in New Zealand, convened by Mrs Levrtt, of America. When the Salvation Army lirst came to New Zealand Mrs Snow followed their work with great interest and became a valued help and supporter of their rescue and other good works. Of a most charitable disposition she increased her powers of giving by cultivating unci selling Bowers raised in her husband's beautiful grounds—quite a show place at one time in Aurora Terrace —and by these means she was able to continue helping her

special charities for many years. Mrs Snow also for some years held u sale of work for Protestant societies, also Dr. Barnardo’s well-known missmn. in 1894, owing to'illhealth, Mr Snow decided to give up his Wellington home, and Mr and Mrs Snow removed to Levin, staying with their second son, Mr Ernest Snow, for a few months, after which the sold their Wellington property and went to Bunnythorpe, making their home there for nearly four years with their son, who is at present in Hamilton. After Mr Snow's death, on August 13th, I‘JOO, Mrs Snow spent some years in travel, visiiing South Africa, Vancouver and her old home in Dorset. Returning to New Zealand, she continued visiting dilfcrent places of interest in New Zealand and Australia, accompanied by her granddaughter, Miss Nellie Snow, now Mrs Floyd Harrop, of Auckland. Latterly she resided with her daughter, Mrs Scales, of the Lower Hull for some time, afterwards removing to Palmerston North, and finally followed her son and his family to Hamilton, where she expired on Sunuay morning, in her 88th year.

Mrs Snow leaves a grown up family of six, Lieut. Col. Rnchford Snow, of Christchurch; Mrs R. St. G. Hamcrsley of England, wife of Col. R. St. G. Hamcrsley, M.P. for North Oxford; Mrs George Scales, of Lower Hu'.c; Mr Ernest Hastings Snow, of Blemfop, South Africa; Mr C. D’Oyly Snow, of Hamilton; and Mr Duines Barrington Snow, of Cape Town; also 34 grandchildren and nine great grand children, seven of whom survive her. The remains will he interred in the Hamilton Fart Cemetery.